VELUPILLAI PIRABAHARAN

On the Indo Sri Lanka AccordSuthumalai Speech

4 August 1987

My Beloved and Esteemed People
of Tamil Eelam,

Today, a turning point of immense significance has taken place in the history of
our struggle. This turn of events occurred so suddenly that it stunned us as if
it has happened beyond our powers. We have to wait and see whether the
consequences of this turn of events will be favourable to us or not.

You are aware that
this Agreement, concluded suddenly in haste between India
and Sri Lanka, without consulting us as the representatives of our people, is
being implemented with expedition and urgency. I was not aware of' this
Agreement until I reached Delhi. Having convinced me that the Indian Prime
Minister desired to meet me, I was taken to Delhi in a hurry. The Agreement was
shown to us when we reached Delhi. There are a lot of flaws and defects in the
Agreement. We doubt whether the Agreement will bring a permanent settlement to
the problems of our people. Therefore, we explained to the Government of India
in clear terms, that we cannot accept this Agreement. But the Indian government
was firmly determined to implement the Agreement whether we opposed or not.

We are not surprised over the position of the Indian government. The Agreement
is not primarily concerned about the Tamil question. It is essentially a
bi-lateral Agreement concerned with Indo-Sri Lanka relations.
There are
obligations in the Agreement that binds Sri Lanka to India's geo-strategic
sphere of influence. It prevents the penetration into Sri Lanka external
subversive forces inimical to Indian inter­ests. It is for this reason India
showed extraordinary interest in the Agreement. At the same time, this Agreement
contains elements that determine the political destiny of the Eelam Tamils. That
is why we are strongly opposed to the Agreement since it was concluded without
taking into consideration our views and the opinion of our people. But our
protests are meaningless. When a mighty super-power has determined to decide the
political destiny of our people it is beyond our ability to do anything.

`The Agreement directly affects the political projects of our liberation
organisation; it affects the mode of our struggle; it attempts to put an end to
our armed struggle. The mode of our heroic struggle, fought for the last 15
years and built on the blood and sacrifice of our fighters, is to be dismantled
in a few days time. This, we cannot digest. This Agreement suddenly disarms us,
without providing adequate time, without getting the consent of our fighters,
without offering guarantees for the safety and security of out people.
Therefore, we refused to lay down arms.

It was in these circumstances the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, invited me
for a discussion. I spoke to him frankly about our problems. I confided to the
Indian Prime Minster that I do not repose the slightest trust in the Sinhala
racist state nor do I believe that the Sinhalese will implement the Agreement. I
spoke to him about the issue of security of our people and the guarantees for
their safety. The Indian Prime Minister has given me certain pledges. He has
offered to guarantee the security of our people. I trust his sincerity. I have
faith in his assurances. We trust that the Government of India will not allow
the Sinhala racist state to resume genocidal violence against our people. It is
because of this trust we have decided to lay down our weapons to the Indian
Peace Keeping force.

I need not elaborate here the immense sacrifices we have made for the
protection of our people. Our people are fully aware of the nature and character
of our deep devotion and commitment to the cause. The weapons that we took up
and deployed for your safety and protection, for your liberation, for your
emancipation, we now entrust to the Indian government. From the very moment we
handover our weapons we hand over the responsibility of protecting our people
to India.

In receiving our weapons from us - the only means of protection for the Eelam
Tamils - the Indian government takes over from us the tremendous responsibility
of protecting our people. The handing over of arms signifies the handing over,
or rather the transfer of this responsibility. Were we not to hand over our
weapons we would be placed in a perilous situation of clashing with the Indian
army. We do not want that. We love India. We love the people of India. We are
not prepared to deploy our arms against Indian soldiers. The soldiers of the
Indian army are taking the responsibility of safeguarding and protecting us
against our enemy. I wish to emphasise that by the virtue of our handing over
our weapons, the Indian government should assume full responsibility for the
life and security of every one of the Eelam Tamils.

My beloved people, we have no alternative other than to co-operate with this
Indian endeavour. Let us offer them this opportunity. However, I do not think
that this Agreement will bring a permanent solution to the Tamil question. The
time is not far off when the monster of Sinhala racism will devour this
Agreement.

I have an unshakable faith that only an independent state of Tamil Eelam will
provide a permanent solution to the problem of the Tamil Eelam people. Let me
make it absolutely clear to you that I will continue to struggle for the cause
of Tamil Eelam. The forms and modes of struggle may change but the goal of our
struggle will never change. If our cause is to triumph we should have the whole
- hearted support of our people. Circumstances might arise for our lib­eration
organisation to participate in the interim government, or in the election for
the sake of promoting the interests of our people. But I wish to declare,
firmly, that under no circumstances and at any point in time will I ever
contest the elections or accept the office of Chief Minister.